Overview
Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia is cancer that starts in blood-forming organs, such as your bone marrow. The cancer causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter your bloodstream crowding out your healthy blood cells. The different types of Leukemia depend upon the type of blood cell that becomes cancer and how quickly it grows.
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- Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Overview
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Normally our bone marrow makes blood stem cells, also called immature cells. In time, blood stem cells mature and become either Myeloid stem cells or Lymphoid stem cells.
If you have an AML diagnosis, your Myeloid stem cells, seen here in orange, do not mature into healthy white blood cells. In addition, sometimes in AML, too many stem cells become abnormal red blood cells or platelets. These abnormal white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets are all called leukemia cells.
What Tests Will I Need and Why?
Blood and Imaging tests are done to understand your general health and confirm your diagnosis.
Tissue analysis in the form of a bone marrow biopsy and sometimes also a sample of spine liquid is done to determine the type of AML.
If your treatment team has not already performed tests to determine your cancer’s features, please ask your doctor when these tests will be performed. This information is critical to finding the best treatment option for you given your goals and lifestyle needs.
Re-read this summary as needed and then tap, “Compare My Treatment Options Now“. Our unique Comparison Page will help you understand your FDA-approved treatment options including, who can help you pay for your treatment, where and how each is given and what side-effects you may experience.
National Institute of Health/ treatment-leukemia
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Commonly Searched Questions
What is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) starts in the bone marrow (the soft inner part of certain bones, where new blood cells are made), but most often it quickly moves into the blood, as well. It can sometimes spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testicles.
Source: Cancer.org
What is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) survival rate?
The average five-year survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is 30.5%.
According to SEER data, Acute Myeloid Leukemia has a survival rate of 30.5%. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of acute myeloid leukemia is 30.5%, it means that patients who have that cancer are, on average, about 30.5% as likely as patients who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Source: Cancer.gov
What are Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) signs and symptoms?
Signs and symptoms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia include:
- weakness
- fever
- infection
- paleness or loss of normal skin color
- bleeding
Source: www.cancer.gov
What are my treatment options for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?
There are five types of treatments used:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy with stem cell transplant
- Targeted therapy
- Other drug therapy
Source: www.cancer.gov
Are there any other factors that might affect my prognosis?
The prognosis and treatment options depend on the age of the patient, whether the Leukemia has spread to the central nervous system, whether the patient has a systemic infection at the time of diagnosis, whether there is a history of a blood disorder such as myelodysplastic syndrome, and whether the cancer has been treated before or recurred (come back).
Source: www.cancer.gov
What are the tests used to diagnose AML?
The following tests and procedures can be used are:
- Complete blood count (CBC) with differential, blood chemistry studies
- Peripheral blood smear
- Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
- Cytogenetic analysis
- Immunophenotyping
- Molecular testing
Source: www.cancer.gov
